The Paradise Guest House, Ellen Sussman, 4 Stars
Reviewed June 2013
Loved this book! Why? It is everything that I want in a book! All the characters lives are believable, the storyline is compelling, the physical descriptions are brilliant, and the human emotions are real, so purely written, one cannot avoid feeling them.
Do I read to be suspended from reality? Often the answer is yes. In this case, the authors choice of location and storyline are just exotic and different enough to take what would be an ordinary tale into something personal and captivating.
Set in Bali, post September 11, 2001, Jamie and Gabe's paths literally cross when they endeavor to rescue people trapped from a club that has been bombed by unknown terrorists. When the islands hospitals and clinics fill up, and tourists flee, Gabe cares for Jamie after she suffers injury when the building they are in collapses.
With much individual personal tragedy to deal with, the bond that is formed between the two goes mostly unexplored. Jamie returns to California, leaving Gabe in Bali. Ellen Sussman does a fabulous job exploring these complicated situations.
When their paths cross again and the sun sets over the ocean, Ms. Sussman left me with a lingering desire to know more about the Bali culture, Hinduism, individual transformation, and how one puts one foot in front of the other when tragedy strikes.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have you read this book? Share your thoughts, but please remember Authors are humans too, so comments must be courteous!